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Cheng J, Yin S. Evaluation of Food Security in North China Based on Food Production Level. Foods 2024; 13:2189. [PMID: 39063273 PMCID: PMC11276030 DOI: 10.3390/foods13142189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper focuses on county-level grain production and food security in North China; selects 17 indicators from both climatic conditions and human activities; applies yield fluctuation coefficients, spatial econometric modelling, the random forest method, and factor analysis to study the characteristics of grain production in North China and the influencing factors; and evaluates the situation of food security in North China based on grain production capacity. The following results were obtained: (1) The spatial and temporal changes in grain production located in North China from 2000 to 2020 are obvious. The grain output in North China from 2000 to 2020 maintains fluctuating growth at a rate of 0.38 × 1011 kg/10a. The east and south are the key areas for grain production in North China. Grain output was relatively stable except for 2003. with the cold spots of grain production being mainly in the northwestern area and the hot spots in the central and southern areas. (2) The changes in grain production in North China from 2000 to 2020 were less affected by climate and mainly influenced by human activity indicators. (3) As time progresses, the area of food shortage zones decreases in size, becoming evenly distributed and dispersed from the initial concentration in northern Hebei and most of Shanxi; the change in the supply-demand equilibrium zones is not obvious; and the area of surplus grain zones increases markedly in size, with a tendency to expand from the south and centre of the study area to the west and north. The grain production capacity of counties in the northwest and north is generally low, and even counties located in surplus grain areas have potential food security risks. However, in the east and south, due to their high grain production capacity, the per capita grain supply situation may be alleviated even in counties located in grain shortage areas. This study can deepen the understanding of the characteristics of food production in North China and enrich the research on food security. Analyses of factors influencing food production will improve a deeper understanding of food security. Food security evaluation based on food production capacity will contribute to a more precise and comprehensive understanding of the food security pattern in North China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shuyan Yin
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China;
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2
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Pecher C, Marsoner T, Tasser E. Regional food self-sufficiency potential in the European Alpine space. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9527. [PMID: 38664462 PMCID: PMC11045778 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60010-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The sustainability of the food system needs to be improved, including shortening supply chains and promoting the consumption of regional food. Here, we explore the current potential for regional food self-sufficiency in the European Alpine space by calculating the current regional food/feed energy balance, deriving the regional per capita land footprint based on current food/feed consumption rates, and modelling the current potential for regional food/feed self-sufficiency. We show that 59% of the 560 Pcal of energy currently available in the study area comes from domestic production, and almost 60% of the energy is used for livestock consumption, with high regional variability. The resulting land footprints range from 2301 to 2975 m2 cap-1 y-1. Taking into account changes in cropping patterns, partial intensification, but no expansion of agricultural land, the European Alpine space could produce 89% of its current food demand domestically, with high regional variability due to population density, availability of agricultural land, crop yields, climatic conditions and dietary habits. These findings highlight the potential and limitations of regional mountain food systems and call for new strategies to improve sustainability. Reducing the current high consumption of animal products would reduce the land footprint and increase the potential for food self-sufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Pecher
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Thomas Marsoner
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Erich Tasser
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee/Viale Druso 1, 39100, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
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3
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Kortleve AJ, Mogollón JM, Harwatt H, Behrens P. Over 80% of the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy supports emissions-intensive animal products. NATURE FOOD 2024; 5:288-292. [PMID: 38561459 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00949-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The European Union's Common Agricultural Policy strongly influences the European Union's food system via agricultural subsidies. Linking global physical input-output datasets with public subsidy data reveals that current allocation favours animal-based foods, which uses 82% of the European Union's agricultural subsidies (38% directly and 44% for animal feed). Subsidy intensity (€ kg-1) for animal-based foods approximately doubles after feed inclusion. The same animal-based foods are associated with 84% of embodied greenhouse gas emissions of EU food production while supplying 35% of EU calories and 65% of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anniek J Kortleve
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - José M Mogollón
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Helen Harwatt
- Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK
| | - Paul Behrens
- Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Wang Y, Guo S, Sun W, Tu H, Tang Y, Xu Y, Guo R, Zhao Z, Yang Z, Wu J. Synthesis of 4 H-Pyrazolo[3,4- d]pyrimidin-4-one Hydrazine Derivatives as a Potential Inhibitor for the Self-Assembly of TMV Particles. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:2879-2887. [PMID: 38241724 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Tobacco mosaic virus coat protein (TMV-CP), as a potential target for the development of antiviral agents, can assist in the long-distance movement of viruses and plays an extremely important role in virus replication and propagation. This work focuses on the synthesis and the action mechanism of novel 4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d] pyrimidin-4-one hydrazine derivatives. The synthesized compounds exhibited promising antiviral activity on TMV. Specifically, compound G2 exhibited high inactivating activity (93%) toward TMV, slightly better than commercial reagent NNM (90%). The action of mechanism was further explored by employed molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, microscale thermophoresis, qRT-PCR, and transmission electron microscopy. Results indicated that G2 had the capability to interact with amino acid residues such as Trp352, Tyr139, and Asn73 in the active pocket of TMV-CP, creating strong hydrophobic interactions and thus obstructing the virus's self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Shengxin Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Wei Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Hong Tu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Yao Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Ying Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Renjiang Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhichao Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Zhaokai Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jian Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
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Doku I, Richardson TE, Essah NK. Bilateral climate finance and food security in developing countries: A look at German donations to Sub‐Saharan Africa. Food Energy Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/fes3.412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Doku
- Economics Education University of Education Winneba Ghana
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Sustainable Production and Consumption of Food. Mise-en-Place Circular Economy Policies and Waste Management Practices in Tourism Cities. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13179986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although previous researchers have explored the circular economy practices of different businesses in various contexts, currently, there are still a few contributions that are focused on the sustainable preparation and consumption of food in the tourism and hospitality industry context. Hence, this paper sheds light on case studies from hotels, restaurants, and cafes that are located in urban tourist destinations. This research suggests that catering businesses can implement a number of responsible initiatives by introducing preventative measures and recycling practices to curb food loss and the generation of waste. In conclusion, this contribution implies that there is scope for regulatory authorities and policymakers to encourage hospitality practitioners to engage in circular economy approaches and to incentivize them to minimize food waste in tourism cities.
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Urbanisation as driver of food system transformation and opportunities for rural livelihoods. Food Secur 2021; 13:781-798. [PMID: 34221191 PMCID: PMC8237550 DOI: 10.1007/s12571-021-01182-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is changing food systems globally, and in particular in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This transformation can affect rural livelihoods in multiple ways. Evidence on what enabling conditions are needed to materialise the opportunities and limit risks is scattered. Here we review scientific literature to elaborate on how urbanisation affects food systems, and on the enabling conditions that subsequently shape opportunities for rural livelihoods. We find that urbanisation leads to a rising and changing food demand, both direct and indirect land use changes, and often to more complex market linkages. Evidence shows that a wide range of enabling conditions can contribute to the materialisation of opportunities for rural livelihoods in this context. Reviewed evidence suggests that the connectivity to urban centres is pivotal, as it provides access to finance, inputs, information, services, and off-farm employment. As a result, physical and communication infrastructure, the spatial pattern of urbanisation, and social networks connecting farmers to markets are identified as important enabling factors for the improvement of rural livelihood outcomes. Our findings suggest that coordinated and inclusive efforts are needed at different scales to make sure rural livelihoods benefit from urbanisation and food system transformation.
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Oreos Versus Orangutans: The Need for Sustainability Transformations and Nonhierarchical Polycentric Governance in the Global Palm Oil Industry. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12020252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
While the myriad benefits of palm oil as a food, makeup, and cleaning product additive drive its demand, globally, the palm oil industry remains largely unsustainable and unregulated. The negative externalities of palm oil production are diverse and devastating to tropical ecosystem integrity and human livelihoods in palm oil nations. Given the current trend in increasing sustainability and transparency in global supply chains, we suggest that sustainability policy reforms are feasible and have the potential to promote 21st century U.S. and international sustainability standards. Polycentric governance may improve the attainment of sustainable global palm oil standards with a set of rules that interact across linear and nonlinear hierarchies and structures, thereby improving collaboration efforts, and increasing connectivity and learning across scales and cultures. Transformations towards sustainability in international palm oil governance has the potential to make valuable contributions to global sustainable development and improve the prosperity of poor rural communities in the tropics by providing a framework for achieving palm oil trade transparency and aligning the sustainability goals across a range of actors.
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9
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Pardo G, del Prado A. Guidelines for small ruminant production systems under climate emergency in Europe. Small Rumin Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2020.106261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Abstract
Coal mine gas accidents pose a serious threat to the safety of coal mines in China. To prevent such accidents, the Chinese government and relevant agencies have issued a number of related control policies, though the effect of these policies on gas accidents is still lacking. In this study, the relevant data of coal mine gas accidents in China from 2003 to 2018 are sorted and analyzed. The analysis results show that the number of coal mine accidents and deaths has decreased significantly. However, gas accidents account for the highest proportion of deaths and pose the largest threat, compared with other types of accidents. Subsequently, the developmental stages of China’s gas control policies are summarized; they are the independent development stage, the promotion stage and the consolidation stage. A method of calculating the intervention degree of the gas control policies is proposed. The results show that the policy intervention degree is the highest, and the number of accidents is the fastest in the stage of promotion. It is concluded that gas control policies have obvious inhibitory effects on the occurrence of gas accidents, and these policies are fundamental in preventing coal mine gas accidents.
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Janssens C, Havlík P, Krisztin T, Baker J, Frank S, Hasegawa T, Leclère D, Ohrel S, Ragnauth S, Schmid E, Valin H, Van Lipzig N, Maertens M. Global hunger and climate change adaptation through international trade. NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE 2020; 10:829-835. [PMID: 33564324 PMCID: PMC7869491 DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0847-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
International trade enables us to exploit regional differences in climate change impacts and is increasingly regarded as a potential adaptation mechanism. Here, we focus on hunger reduction through international trade under alternative trade scenarios for a wide range of climate futures. Under the current level of trade integration, climate change would lead to up to 55 million people who are undernourished in 2050. Without adaptation through trade, the impacts of global climate change would increase to 73 million people who are undernourished (+33%). Reduction in tariffs as well as institutional and infrastructural barriers would decrease the negative impact to 20 million (-64%) people. We assess the adaptation effect of trade and climate-induced specialization patterns. The adaptation effect is strongest for hunger-affected import-dependent regions. However, in hunger-affected export-oriented regions, partial trade integration can lead to increased exports at the expense of domestic food availability. Although trade integration is a key component of adaptation, it needs sensitive implementation to benefit all regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Janssens
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Heverlee, Belgium
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Petr Havlík
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Tamás Krisztin
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | | | - Stefan Frank
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Tomoko Hasegawa
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
- College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Japan
| | - David Leclère
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Sara Ohrel
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shaun Ragnauth
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Erwin Schmid
- Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hugo Valin
- Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied System Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Nicole Van Lipzig
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Miet Maertens
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Heverlee, Belgium
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Škapa S, Vochozka M. Towards Higher Moral and Economic Goals in Renewable Energy. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2020; 26:1149-1158. [PMID: 31098900 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-019-00109-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The European Union's (EU) funding of electricity made of biogas that is obtained from purpose-grown plants accelerated the global boom of renewable energy two decades ago. Tens of thousands of biogas plants were built in EU farms soon after. As this specific trend toward renewable energy globally spreads, it has the potential to alter the features of agriculture in the future. Such conceptual changes are related to a variety of socio-economic and environmental implications that manifest itself over a large time scale. Regarding renewables made of purpose-grown plants, a majority of reservations are related to its production economy, particularly since these biofuels are expected to compete with food or feed. So far, little attention has been paid to the fact that the fields of farms that run biogas stations are subject to shortly repeated erosive crops followed by the intensive application of the fermentation residues obtained. The various types of soil on different European farms, which have been operating biogas stations for at least two decades, were analyzed. It was revealed for the first time that such practices cause soil degradation and pose a threat to food production, which has been overlooked until now. The relations between ethical and economical points of view are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Škapa
- Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, Antonínská 548/1, 601 90, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Marek Vochozka
- The Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Okružní 517/10, 370 01, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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13
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Piwowar A. Attitudes and opinions of farmers in the context of environmental protection in rural areas in Poland. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:180. [PMID: 32065288 PMCID: PMC7026293 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-8133-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents results of questionnaire surveys regarding the state of the natural environment in rural areas. The research was conducted on a sample of 1101 agricultural holdings in Poland. According to the analyses, agricultural producers are aware of environmental threats posed by irrational agricultural economy. Most respondents indicated the responsibility of farmers and other residents of rural areas as a basic condition for broadly understood environmental safety in rural areas in Poland. In the opinion of respondents, systems and programs for funding the replacement of heating boilers, thermomodernization of buildings, etc., are also important. There were significant differences in farmers' declarations, taking into account the age and level of education of the respondents, as well as features of agricultural holdings (area and economic size of the agricultural holding).
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadiusz Piwowar
- Department of Economics and Organization of Food Economy, Faculty of Economy and Finance, Wroclaw University of Economics and Business, ul. Komandorska 118/120, 53-345, Wrocław, Poland.
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Eskola M, Kos G, Elliott CT, Hajšlová J, Mayar S, Krska R. Worldwide contamination of food-crops with mycotoxins: Validity of the widely cited ‘FAO estimate’ of 25%. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019; 60:2773-2789. [DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1658570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mari Eskola
- Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Tulln, Austria
| | - Gregor Kos
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christopher T. Elliott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Jana Hajšlová
- Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition, Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Sultan Mayar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Rudolf Krska
- Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro-Metabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Tulln, Austria
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
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Xu X, Hu H, Tan Y, Yang G, Zhu P, Jiang B. Quantifying the impacts of climate variability and human interventions on crop production and food security in the Yangtze River Basin, China, 1990-2015. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 665:379-389. [PMID: 30772568 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.02.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Food security has become a global policy concern due to its important role in sustaining development and human well-being. Using spatial autocorrelation analysis of statistical data at the county-level, this study quantifies the change in spatial and temporal patterns of crop production in the Yangtze River Basin of China since 1990 and draws out policy implications for food security in the country. Four panel models were constructed to examine in what ways and to what extent four major factors (climate variation, sown area, fertilizer use intensity, and population size) influence the capacity for crop production. The results show that total crop production increased by 15.2% in 1990-2015, while there exists significant spatial heterogeneity in crop output across the upper, middle and lower sections of the Basin. The spatial agglomerations of crop production (hotspots) in the Basin have varied significantly over time, with the hotspots in the lower section having disappeared since 2000. Over a quarter of the total number of counties (649) in the region have experienced a high risk of food shortages, with 19.4-27.4% of counties having experienced severe or moderate shortages of per capita food availability since 1990. This percentage increased from 9.3% to 16.2% in the lower section, while it declined from 53.9% in 1990 to 41.9% in 2015 in the upper section and remained unchanged in the middle section. The variables of sown area, fertilizer use intensity, total precipitation in the growing seasons and time (Year) have significant positive effects on the growth of crop production, but mean temperature in the growing seasons of crops and total population have significant and negative relationships with crop outputs. Establishing a reliable food supply system, safeguarding high-quality cultivated land and increasing fertilizer use efficiency are suggested as imperative countermeasures to mitigate food security risks in the Yangtze River Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xibao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Huizhi Hu
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yan Tan
- Department of Geography, Environment and Population, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Guishan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Peng Zhu
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego, CA 92122, USA
| | - Bo Jiang
- Changjiang Water Resources Protection Institute, Wuhan 430051, China
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Baer-Nawrocka A, Sadowski A. Food security and food self-sufficiency around the world: A typology of countries. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213448. [PMID: 30845273 PMCID: PMC6407907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The particularities of agriculture, as a sector which ensures food supply, result
from many factors, including the multilateral interaction between the
environment and human activity. The extent of human intervention in the food
production process is usually measured with the amount of capital expenditure.
Therefore, the food production potential and the resulting food security depend
on both natural and economic factors. This paper identifies the current status
of food security in different countries around the world, considering both
aspects (physical and economic availability) combined together. The variables
published by FAO were used together with a variable estimated based on the
author’s own methodology to identify 8 groups of countries characterized by
economic development level, net trade in agricultural products, and selected
variables related to agriculture and food situation. As shown by this study, the
degree to which food security is ensured with domestic supply varies strongly
across the globe. Domestic production provides a foundation for food security in
wealthy countries, usually located in areas with favorable conditions for
agriculture (including North America, Australia, New Zealand, Kazakhstan) and in
countries which, though characterized by a relatively small area of arable land
per capita, demonstrate high production intensity (mainly European countries).
International trade largely contributes to food security in Middle East and
North African countries as well as in selected South American countries which
are net importers of food products. The most problematic food situation
continues to affect Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Baer-Nawrocka
- Department of Economics and Economic Policy in Agribusiness,
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences,
Poznań, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Arkadiusz Sadowski
- Department of Economics and Economic Policy in Agribusiness,
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences,
Poznań, Poland
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Ciceri D, Allanore A. Local fertilizers to achieve food self-sufficiency in Africa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 648:669-680. [PMID: 30130734 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
One of the key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set by the United Nations (UN) aims by 2030 to "end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture". Fertilizers will play a pivotal role in achieving that goal given that ~90% of crop production growth is expected to come from higher yields and increased cropping intensity. However, materials-science research on fertilizers has received little attention, especially in Africa. In this work we present an overview of the use of fertilizers in Africa to date, and based on that overview we suggest future research directions for material scientists. Developing a new generation of local and affordable fertilizers will launch Africa into a new phase of remunerative agricultural production that in turn will lead to both food self-sufficiency and considerable progress towards goals of food and nutrition security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Ciceri
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Antoine Allanore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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